When most people think of “church,” they picture pews, pulpits, and stained-glass windows. But Chuck Missler challenges that image. He argues that what we often call church today looks very different from the body of Christ described in Scripture. Even more, the problems facing Christians now are not brand-new—they’ve appeared throughout history. By tracing the past, he suggests we can better understand our present weaknesses and prepare for the future. His question is simple but sharp: in an age of confusion, corruption, and cultural decline, what should the church really look like?

Who Really Represents the Church Today?

A Prophetic Profile of the Seven Churches

Missler begins by revisiting Revelation chapters 2 and 3. Jesus dictated letters to seven real churches in Asia Minor, but each also represents stages in church history.

• Ephesus – the early apostolic church, faithful but losing its first love.
• Smyrna – the persecuted church under Rome.
• Pergamum – the “married” church, tied too closely to the world.
• Thyatira – the medieval church with corruption and hierarchy.
• Sardis – the Reformation church, alive in name but often spiritually dead.
• Philadelphia – the missionary church, praised with no rebuke.
• Laodicea – the lukewarm church of the last days.

He emphasizes that these letters are not only history. They also act as “report cards” for churches in every age. Some churches thought they were strong but were judged weak. Others, like Smyrna, had nothing negative said about them.

Lessons from Secular History

Missler then walks through a sweeping history of Rome and early Christianity. He recalls emperors like Nero, who executed Paul, and Domitian, who exiled John. He describes how persecution shaped believers but also how compromise crept in. Constantine’s adoption of Christianity in the 4th century was a turning point. While it brought legal recognition, it also made the church more political and less spiritual. Over the centuries, man-made traditions—prayers to saints, indulgences, relics—were layered onto the faith. By the Middle Ages, the institutional church often looked far from the simple gatherings in homes seen in the book of Acts.

He also points out smaller groups, often branded as heretics by official church leaders, who clung tightly to the Bible. Waldenses, Anabaptists, and others paid heavy prices for refusing to follow traditions they saw as unbiblical. Their story, he argues, shows the real “pilgrim church” has always been alive, though not always recognized.

Our Present Predicament

Missler asks hard questions about today’s church. Why is the divorce rate among Christians nearly the same as unbelievers? Why do many believers show little difference in lifestyle from the world? He stresses that taking God’s name in vain isn’t just about swearing—it’s about calling yourself a Christian while failing to represent Christ faithfully.

Another major concern is biblical illiteracy. Many church members—and even pastors—know little of Scripture. Sermons can become short pep talks instead of teaching. Many churches avoid topics like Israel, the end times, or the return of Christ, treating them as allegory rather than reality. This, Missler warns, leaves believers unprepared.

Resources and Hope

Despite the problems, Missler sees powerful resources available today:

• The Internet – never before has access to the Bible and study tools been so easy. Free resources like the Blue Letter Bible allow anyone to study Greek, Hebrew, and commentaries instantly.
• Small Groups – he stresses that real spiritual growth happens most in small gatherings where believers study the Word together, not in large crowds listening passively. These groups were the original model of the early church and may be the future again, especially if persecution rises.
• Expositional Study – going verse by verse through Scripture guards against distortion and keeps believers grounded in truth.

The Call Back to Basics

Missler ends by calling the church to return to its roots: a fellowship of the redeemed, living simply and authentically, not tied to buildings or traditions but centered on Christ. He points to examples of believers who stood firm under persecution, even to death. Their courage reminds us that Christianity isn’t about comfort or popularity—it’s about loyalty to Jesus.

Wake Up

Chuck Missler’s central warning is that we may be living in the Laodicean age—a church rich in resources but spiritually lukewarm. His call is for believers to wake up, dig deep into God’s Word, and be prepared to represent Christ faithfully in difficult times ahead.